A few members of the OU community have paid quite the price to have exclusive on-campus parking.

107 faculty and staff members hold a reserved parking permit which ensures a spot in either the Elm Avenue or Asp Avenue parking garage, said Kris Glenn, parking and transit services spokesman.

“The reserved parking permits are a premium price, but it is also a premium product,” Glenn said. “The reserved parking permit ensures a guaranteed parking space.”

The permits are $889 and Glenn said two types of people qualify for the reserved parking permit.

“The reserved parking permits are available in two categories, commuter student and faculty-staff,” he said. “Those who have the commuter version may park in any commuter lot, multipurpose lot or the reserved space they purchased. The faculty-staff reserved parking permit holders may park in any faculty/staff lot, multipurpose lot or the reserved space in which they purchased.”

Glenn said despite paying $889 for the year round permit for an exclusive parking space, demand for the spaces remains consistently high.

“The reserved parking spaces continue to be very popular,” he said.

He said demand for the spaces ranges from 75 percent to 85 percent occupancy of all spaces each year.

Glen said, however, there was a restriction to the permit.

“The reserved parking permits are only valid for one of the facilities, not both,” Glenn said. “Permit holders may choose the facility in which they wish to park.”

Glenn said in the Elm Avenue parking garage 65 out of 68 spaces are currently occupied, and 42 out of 75 spaces in the Asp Avenue parking garage are currently being occupied according to number tallied from reserved permits sold in August 2008 and August 2009.

Out of five students interviewed by The Daily about reserved parking spaces all of them have heard of the spaces, but said the price is a deterrent from buying the permit.

“It sounds kind of ridiculous to spend $900 on a permit,” said Kelsie Guthrie, public relations junior. “I would rather just park farther away and walk and get the exercise.”

Guthrie said with the number of parking spaces available to students on campus being more difficult to access, areas for parking should give those with a commuter pass priority access to more parking spaces.

“If they want to pay for them, then I guess that’s their decision,” said Aubrey Folmer, University College freshman. “I can think of other ways I can spend $900.”